Artistic Director Peach State Summer Theatre - Communication Arts Theatre Program

The Department of Communication Arts seeks applicants for a 12-month tenure-track faculty position beginning July 1, 2021. The position will serve as the Artistic Director for the Peach State Summer Theatre program. Rank is open and will be based on credentials. The selected candidate will be responsible for teaching courses in the candidate’s area of expertise, maintaining scholarly productivity, and participating in service at the department, college, and university levels.

Valdosta State University is proud to have a highly diverse student body, and we are seeking to recruit and retain outstanding candidates who exhibit a clear commitment to diversity and inclusion and who will enhance the diversity of our faculty and staff.

The VSU Theatre and Dance Program is one of six programs, including a master’s degree within the Department of Communication Arts. The program has ten full-time faculty and over 120 majors. We enjoy strong university support as one of the more extensive programs in the University. The Peach State Summer Theatre program is the Official Musical Theatre of Georgia. Each summer, a company of some 60 actor-singers, dancers, technicians, managers, and creators will reside in Valdosta for a ten-week season. During that time, they will rehearse, build and present three musicals in rotating repertory. Valdosta State University has produced professional summer musical theatre since 1990.

The VSU College of the Arts includes the Department of Art & Design, the Department of Music, and the Department of Communication Arts (Communication, Dance, Mass Media, Public Relations, and Theatre). The College of the Arts is also home to the award-winning Valdosta Symphony Orchestra and the Peach State Summer Theatre. VSU is accredited by NASAD, NASM, and NAST. With nearly 90 faculty members and approximately 1,100 students, the College offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. For more information, visit https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/. 

For more information contact Dr. Mark Borzi, Head, Department of Communication Arts, via email mgborzi@valdosta.edu or phone 229-333-5820. For more information on the Department, visit http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/communication-arts/

RESPONSIBILITIES:

As the Artistic Director for Peach State Summer Theatre, the position is responsible for leading the process of selecting performances; recruiting and coordinating design and creative team members;  recruiting and coordinating auditions for performers and technical positions; working closely with the PSST finance and management team; supervising temporary staff; coordinating visits by theatre and dance professionals for peer review purposes; representing Peach State Summer Theatre to various external groups for recruitment, promotion, and marketing purposes; engage in fundraising activities to underwrite the summer season; and, work with the community board. 

As a faculty member in the department, the position will deliver courses in Stage Movement and other courses such as Theatre Appreciation, Acting, Audition Techniques, Voice and Diction, Stage Dialects, and Playwriting.  Other teaching assignments are possible based on qualifications and experience. The typical teaching load is two courses per semester.  Course delivery methods may include traditional, online, hyflex, hybrid, or off-campus formats.  Faculty members make substantive contributions to the Department, including mentoring, departmental and university service, professional, and community service.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Terminal degree in Theatre or closely related field by appointment date;
• Experience in leadership roles in professional musical theatre;
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, as well as scholarship;
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion;
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative setting;
• A record of mentoring students of diverse backgrounds.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

•  A record of effective teaching appropriate to the applicant’s career stage;
• Professional music theatre experience.

Valdosta State University, founded in 1906, VSU is a comprehensive university with a student enrollment of approximately 12,500. The city of Valdosta is located just north of the Florida state line on Interstate 75, is served by a regional airport, and is within a two-hour drive of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. For more information visit https://www.valdosta.edu and for more information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com/. 

Online application is required.  Valdosta State University is an Equal Opportunity educational institution and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including, but not limited to, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. Valdosta State University has a non-discrimination policy that includes sex, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, and veteran status.